RE: [TCML] Idle musings about surge suppressors

[William Noble <william_b_noble@xxxxxxx>]

> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:44:45 -0500
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Idle musings about surge suppressors
> From: steve.ward@xxxxxxxxx
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> 
> It might be worth considering what happens to these things when they DO have
> to clamp a surge. Is your construction material going to catch fire from
> the heat generated by the MOV?
> 
> Steve
> 
>

 

 

long ago, in a place far away, where the dominant power is 220AC, the following situation occured:

 

I am in a hotel conference room with a team, about to review a briefing for someone very important.  Senior engineer #1, ex navy, knows everything - has Macintosh laptop plugged into one of those gold colored anodized aluminum $$$ surge suppressors, puts 110 to 220V plug adapter on the end and is reaching for the power plug:

 

me --- no no, don't do that - STOP!!

he - what do you mean?

me - you can't use that suppressor, take it off

he - but I have to use it to protect my ZAAAAAPPPPPP Poof!!! 

<darkness>

he - Oh!

me - give me that thing (grab!!) 

 

an hour later the Hotel staff got the hotel power back on (we blew the main breakers)

 

I took the unit home - opened it up, the inside was black, "plated" with vaporized MOV material.  There was nothing but two wires sticking up where each MOV had been.  I washed it out, put new MOVs in it, and it's working to this day.

 

you draw your own conclusions about fire.
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